Do you have a degree in mathematics, English, history, science, French, or Spanish, and want to do something meaningful with it? Something that doesn’t involve working in academia or research, but that still makes a difference?

At IXL, we’re hiring curriculum designers to create fun and engaging content that helps K-12 students master a wide range of subjects and develop a lifelong love for learning. If you’re excited about using your expertise, combined with our technology, to improve teaching and education around the world, then read on!

The IXL content development team is comprised of curriculum designers who are responsible for creating the practice problems you see on IXL.com. This is an exciting time to join our team, as we are growing rapidly and expanding into new subjects! We’re looking for specialists who have a bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.D degree in the following fields to design content for students of all ages:

You’ll work alongside software engineers, visual designers, and company leaders on appropriate content and assessment strategies. Your educational insight, creative solutions, strong writing skills, and perfectionist mindset will drive the success of our product – and help students across the planet excel!

Learn more about our vibrant work culture and see what employees have to say about working at IXL by visiting us on Glassdoor, following our corporate Facebook page and @IXLRecruiting on Twitter, reading our employee Q&A series, and watching the video below!

Hometown and current city: Grew up in Cupertino, Calif., now lives in Palo Alto, Calif.

Life at IXL

What brought you to IXL?

I came to IXL straight from grad school. I did my undergrad in math at Pepperdine University, then went to Stanford where I studied management science and engineering. I was looking for a place where I could make an impact on a product, and work at a company that was really making a difference in the world, especially in education. I’ve always loved math, so finding a company that was teaching math was appealing to me and it seemed like an interesting way to apply my background in a way that would help students.

What do you do at IXL? Give us a taste of what a typical day at work is like for you.

I help design new features for IXL – anything from motivational tools for students, to reports for teachers, and any other features or functionality that a student, teacher or parent might use. Part of my time is spent doing research and brainstorming, and part of it is developing beautiful images and mockups for our site, as well as working with engineers to getting things implemented. One of my favorite features that I’ve worked on is our Community tab, an area where teachers can get resources and ideas for how to use IXL. It was a fun project because it has all types of different resources and you had to think about how to synthesize all of that material in one place.

What skills/qualities does it take to do your job?

You need to be able to think critically about problems, have a strong intuition about user experience design and who our customers are, and be able to design beautiful features. You also have to have some sort of technical background or have taken some computer science classes so that you can understand how our features will be implemented and better communicate with our software engineers.

Life beyond IXL

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to do Pilates and social dance – I’m taking a salsa class which is really fun! I also like outdoorsy things and am just getting into backpacking. My first trip will be doing the Skyline to Sea Trail. It starts in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and then you walk through Big Basin and down to the Pacific coast. It’s a 2-3 day trip which is a pretty easy starter one, so hopefully it goes well! I’m also really interested in musicals – I just saw “Book of Mormon” in New York and it was really good. One of my friends from high school was the lead that night so it was really exciting!

It sounds like you like to stay active!

Yes. I also like surfing [see photo, right]. I started surfing in Newport Beach when I was little. My mom, sister, and I all took lessons together and we’ve been surfing ever since! My parents live in Santa Cruz, so I surf there a few times a year. My mom is turning 60 this year and she is planning on surfing 60 times in her 60th year! It’s freezing in Santa Cruz, so I always wear a wetsuit and booties… sometimes even a hat! I much prefer warm waters and have been on a number of surf trips: Popoyo, Nicaragua; Kauai; and Sayulita, Mexico.

What’s your favorite childhood toy?

It’s not a toy, but I still have my baby blanket. When I was little you could see that it had baby Disney characters on it, but it’s gotten so ratty and torn up that you can barely see faint images of them! I keep it in my dresser next to my bed.

Just for Fun

Other than IXL, what are the three websites you visit most frequently?

The Weather Channel, Facebook, and Gmail.

What would your last meal be?

My favorite food is pizza so I’d have that [see photo, right]. I really like making pizza from scratch, just a simple margherita pizza: fresh mozzarella, basil, sauce and dough. I’ve even made my own dough before! I’d also have a glass of skim milk, maybe chocolate milk. For dessert, I’d want cheesecake or chocolate cheesecake!

The Oscars are coming up! What would be your award for Best Picture of All Time?

I really like “Love Actually.” Even though it’s a Christmas movie, it’s good any time of the year! I watch it every Christmas and I’ve probably seen it 30 to 40 times.

What is love? Aristotle said, “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” For John Lennon, “love is the flower you’ve got to let grow.” And Martin Luther King, Jr. said that “love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.” This word can be defined in hundreds of different ways, but we were curious what kids think love is. So, we asked the children of IXLers, “What does love mean?” Here are their adorable (and often funny) answers!

Ever have a baby zebra as a pet? Po Bhattacharyya, a product analyst working to create IXL’s upcoming science program, has! Read on to learn more about his passion for biology and more.

The Basics

Name and title: Po Bhattacharyya, Product Analyst – Science

Has been at IXL for: 5 months

Hometown and current city: Grew up in Kolkata, India. Currently lives in San Francisco.

Life at IXL

What did you do prior to coming to IXL?

I recently graduated from Brown University, where my major was geology-biology – the way I thought about it was that I was majoring in nature. One of the summers I was there, I worked as an assistant to a wildlife consultant in South Africa. His job was to go into wildlife reserves and tell the owners what to do – for example, to fix a stream that is too polluted, or to control the impala population that has gotten too large. So I went on safari with him every day, and we processed water samples, animal tracks, scat, and ran aerial surveys using a drone to count the number of animals.

What do you do at IXL?

I’m a science product analyst, so my job is to look at topics that kids learn in science, and coming up with a) what these students need to know and b) how we can test that they know these things. The last few months I’ve been working on biology skills, such as cell structure questions where kids see a picture of a cell and click on the different parts to identify them. We build algorithmic problem generators – so we actually come up with ways to create problems, rather than create the problems themselves. We determine what the easy questions and hard questions will be, and the explanations for the problems, and then our engineering and product design teams build what the student sees on the website.

What skills/qualities does it take to do your job?

You have to know your content and subject really well, but at the same time be aware that you could be wrong, and be able to seek out the right answer. Secondly, you have to be a good writer. You’re explaining these concepts to kids who don’t have as big a vocabulary, so you have to be able to say things in a clear and succinct way without dumbing it down. You also have to have good attention to detail, because we want our content to be top-notch.

What do you like about working at IXL?

I really like that there’s so much emphasis on coming up with new ideas and the best way to do something. I like that we spend so much time thinking about every single word we put in. There’s also a lot of independence and ownership over my projects – I feel like I’m actually doing something that makes a difference, and creating a tangible product.

Life beyond IXL

What do you like to do in your free time?

I really like writing (I usually like to write in the form of stories), and I’m working on a book about my six weeks in South Africa. I also really like running – I do it a few times a week, including running up Twin Peaks once a week. I love to travel every chance I get. I also like cooking. I used to cook with my grandmother when I was growing up, so she taught me a lot of Bengali dishes, which is very different from what you eat in Indian restaurants here. If you’ve never tried Bengali food, I recommend eggplant bharta – you take an eggplant and char it on the fire, peel it, and mash it with spices.

What’s your ideal vacation?

One that never ends! My next vacation will be in Mexico – I’m going to scuba dive in Cancun.

What’s the best piece of advice someone has given you?

My younger brother told me this, and I thought it was incredible. He said, “Don’t say anything when there’s nothing to be said.” You don’t have to fill the space with words.

Just for fun

If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be and why?

A zebra! When I worked in South Africa, my boss ran a small wildlife orphanage, so one of my jobs was taking care of a baby zebra named Nwana. I fed her and went on runs with her. Zebras are very independent so it’s not like having a pet that’s dependent on you – but at the same time, they’re very affectionate. My zebra used to follow me into my hut and sleep next to my bed, and every morning she would wake me up so we could go outside.

Would you rather have a time machine that only goes back in time or a time machine that only goes forward in time?

Definitely one that only goes back. I feel like I have more perspective on my past than on my future, so I would not like to end up in a place where I have no perspective on what’s happening!

If you were taking a trip to the moon, what three things would you pack in your suitcase and why?

I’d bring my Kindle, because I’d probably be reading a lot. I’d also bring a camera to document my experiences. I’d also bring a lot of dark chocolate!

High schoolers can now join in on the fun of practicing English language arts on IXL, with the launch of our 9th and 10th grade skills! We’ve added hundreds of problems that teach students to use words accurately and precisely, questions that ask students to evaluate writing and make effective choices for meaning and style, and much more. Not sure where to start? Here are some highlights:

Fun pictures illustrate literal translations of misplaced modifiers, and help students understand the miscommunications that occur when words are modified incorrectly. This skill is also available for 7th-8th grade.

Students are tasked with using subtle context clues to determine the tone of passages, many of which are sourced from well-known fiction and nonfiction works. This skill teaches students how word choice can affect the interpretation of their writing.

A new college grad (or graduating soon) with a degree in computer science or related fields?

Interested in how technology can solve real-world education challenges?

Eager to join a rapidly growing company that’s made up of smart, passionate, and friendly people?

All of the above

If you picked “all of the above,” then we want to meet you!

IXL is the world’s most popular subscription-based learning site for K-12 education. We have over 5 million users and are continuing to grow, innovate, and develop whole new product categories – and we’re looking for fresh engineering talent to join our team!

We’re coming to you!

Throughout winter and spring, IXL is hitting the road and visiting college career fairs across the country to chat with students. Check the list below to see if we’ll be in your area, and follow us on Twitter (@IXLRecruiting) to stay updated on our schedule and get the latest news on job opportunities.

Summer Software Engineer Interns (Future Grads) – Our paid, highly-competitive internship program offers students first-hand exposure to the product development process at IXL as a full-fledged member of our engineering team. Read the full job description and apply here!

What we can offer you

We work together to make an impact – Any IXLer will tell you that it’s incredibly fulfilling to feel that you’re really making a big difference in education every day.

We invest in our people – With our rapid growth, there are plentiful opportunities to learn new skills, own bigger projects, and grow into leadership roles.

We balance work and play – At IXL, we support work-life balance, with flexible hours and plenty of paid vacation time. We make it easy for you to socialize with fellow IXLers through happy hours, team outings, birthday socials, company-sponsored sports teams, and more. Our on-site services like a fitness center, dry cleaning, free espresso and coffee, and a fully-stocked drinks fridge – and $5 massages – make sure you’re well taken care of while you’re changing the future of education.

To learn more about our work culture, and see what employees have to say about working at IXL, visit us on Glassdoor, follow our corporate Facebook page, and check out the video below!

Whether you’re a teacher, working parent, or stay-at-home parent, you’ve probably felt that you have a lot to do, and not enough time to do it in. Juggling multiple tasks is a challenge, but luckily there are free apps that can make it easier to get things done efficiently in the time you do have. Here are some of our favorites.

Take control of your to-do list

Traditional pen-and-paper lists are great, but to-do list apps like Wunderlist and Any.do put more task-managing power in your hands. Both apps are easy to use and allow you to categorize your lists (e.g. Work, Personal, Groceries), mark important tasks, input subtasks for larger projects, set reminders and recurring tasks, and add notes or documents to help you accomplish your tasks. You can also share your to-dos with others if you’re collaborating on a project.

Ever have a great idea while you’re running errands, see an article that you want to save to read after work, or want a place to store ideas for a home renovation project? A note-taking app might be what you need. Evernote is one of the most popular and versatile. It lets you create notebooks where you can save simple text notes, photos, audio clips, snapshots of documents, Web clips, lists and reminders, and much more. Evernote’s many features can seem overwhelming at first, so start by reading these articles on Lifehacker and Mashable for practical ideas about how to use the app.

At some point, you’ve probably ended the day wondering, “Where did the time go?” You can find out, by using an app like Toggl to track the amount of time you’re spending on tasks. Using the app’s stopwatch and reports, you can monitor how productive you’ve actually been and look for ways to make better use of your time. It’s also great for freelancers or those that need to track billable hours. If you suffer from digital distractions, install RescueTime, a Web app that monitors how you spend your time on the computer and produces reports on how much time you spent in different categories (e.g. Email, Business, Social Networks).

If you have an IXL family membership and have contacted our support team, you’ve probably spoken with Caitlin Fitzpatrick! Read on to hear how she helps customers, and how she spends her free time.

The Basics

Name and title: Caitlin Fitzpatrick, Membership Specialist

Has been at IXL for: 2.5 years

Hometown and current city: Grew up in Redding, Calif. Currently lives in San Francisco [see photo, below].

Life at IXL

What do you do at IXL?

I’m a membership specialist, so I’m the first point of contact for families who have questions about IXL features or pricing, or want to make changes to their account. I talk to customers over phone, email and chat. I speak to a lot of different people – homeschooling parents, parents of students in traditional schools, grandparents, and even adults who use IXL to study for exams.

What skills does it take to do your job well?

The number one thing is empathy. We try to have meaningful conversations with every customer that calls in and show friendliness and kindness toward them. Another thing is that our team will work until the issue is solved – it doesn’t matter how many calls or emails it takes, we will not rest! For example, one of my colleagues showed up at work at 5 am for a call to accommodate a customer’s schedule.

What do you like about working at IXL?

One thing I really like about my position is that I get to hear a lot of feedback about IXL, which is helpful to communicate to other departments, like product development and engineering, that are very interested in hearing that information. I also love that our team is really collaborative and silly and fun.

Life beyond IXL

What do you like to do in your free time?

I am currently training for my first 10k, so running is absorbing a lot of my free time. I also just love to walk around San Francisco – I do what I call urban hikes, where I walk and eat! I pick a neighborhood and explore. I’ve also been really into baking bread recently. I made a huge loaf of challah bread for Christmas! [see photo, left]

What’s your favorite…

TV Show? I’m somewhat extreme in my tastes. I’m currently watching “The Wire,” but I’m also really in to “The Real Housewives” (of any city). So it’s a mix of high-brow and Bravo-brow!

Book? I was a literature major so that’s like asking me to pick a favorite child, but recently I read “The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt and it blew my mind! I read it in three days.

Candy? I am very religious about Whoppers. When I go to the movies I have to get Whoppers and I can’t start eating them until after the previews!

Tell us about someone you admire.

Meryl Streep. She is wonderful in every film I’ve seen her in, and when you watch her in interviews she has such poise and confidence, and has a great sense of humor. She’s my ideal self, and my spirit animal.

Just for Fun

If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

I would be an elephant. I went to Thailand recently, and we spent a whole day at an elephant rescue farm and I was in heaven [see photo, right]. I just think they’re the coolest animals and I will often fall into a pit of watching YouTube videos about elephants, especially elephants rescuing their babies!

Tell us your favorite joke!

These are the jokes I tell my 10-year-old stepsister: What do you call a cow with three legs? Tri-tip. What do you call a cow with no legs? Ground beef. What do you call a cow with one leg? Stake!

Did you make any New Year’s resolutions this year?

My goal is to be able to do a handstand by my next birthday. Right now I’m doing them against the wall, but I fall a lot!

Winter’s chilly temperatures mean potential snow days for students. Instead of plopping down in front of the TV and letting those days go to waste, use snow days as an opportunity to keep kids learning with fun, hands-on activities! Here’s your productive snow day itinerary:

Morning: Turn snow day into e-learning day

A day off from school is the perfect time for kids to catch up on assignments, do some extra studying, or challenge themselves by working ahead. Make at-home learning fun by setting aside textbooks and having your kids do some interactive practice on websites and apps like IXL and Khan Academy. Or, go online together and research a topic they’re learning about in school to see what interesting information you can dig up. For some productive screen time, turn the TV to an educational show (try channels like National Geographic Channel, History, and PBS), or browse Netflix for appropriate documentaries.

Midday: Learn through hands-on activities

Reward your students for working hard in the morning with some hands-on activities (that will secretly help them learn)! For example, make lunch or prepare food for dinner, which – in addition to teaching them how to cook – helps them see fractions, measurement and chemistry in action. Pick up a newspaper, browse through it together, and discuss current events and social issues. You could even have your kids sit with you as you pay bills or clip coupons and use it as a way to teach them about counting money, percentages, and personal finance.

Afternoon: Play!

Take the afternoon to have some fun and bond with your kids. If the weather allows, get outside and play in the snow – if not, bring in a few buckets of snow and make snow sculptures in the tub, or do some indoor snow day activities!

Parents, how do you keep your kids occupied during snow days? Share your ideas by leaving a comment below!

If you’ve made it a goal for yourself to start integrating technology into your classroom this year, but aren’t sure where to start, we’re here to help. Read on for tips and resources that will help you on your way to becoming a tech-savvy teacher in 2015!

Supplement lessons with videos

One of the easiest ways to bring tech into your classroom is by showing students video clips to help your lessons come to life and offer a new way for students to engage with the material. Search free video-sharing sites like YouTube and Vimeo for clips related to the topic you’re teaching.

There are tons of great educational games and programs available online (including IXL, of course!), and these can be a fun way to let students practice the skills they’ve learned in class. Try splitting your class into groups and having them rotate between stations to work with a different program at each.

Set up a classroom website to stay connected with students and parents

Free tools like Edmodo and Schoology allow you to easily set up a Facebook-like website for your classroom. Use these sites to manage your class – give out and grade assignments, post updates and start discussions, and create small groups for projects. You can also use your site to keep parents up-to-date on their child’s activities and performance.

Pinterest is a fun way to find lesson plans and activity ideas, or even share some of your own! Try browsing the education category to get started. Use your Twitter account to connect with other educators – a great way to do so is by participating in education focused Twitter chats.